TF Shooter Soldiers Earn Purple Hearts
(January 4, 2011) |
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| FORWARD OPERATING BASE FENTY,
Afghanistan - Two Cavalry troopers of
6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th
Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain
Division, Task Force Shooter, were
awarded Purple Hearts in a ceremony at
Jalalabad Airfield Dec. 30, 2010. |
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, commander of Combined
Joint Task Force 101 and Regional Command East, presented
Purple Hearts to U.S. Army 1st Sgt. David E. Lee from Valley
Springs, Ark., of C Troop, TF Shooter, 10th CAB; and U.S.
Army Spc. Matthew J. Riddle from Greenfield, Ind., of D
Troop, TF Shooter, 10th CAB, for wounds received in the
defense of Forward Operating Base Fenty Nov. 13.
“Today is a proud day for the task force and an honor for
U.S. Army Command, Sergeant Major [Patrick] McGuire and
myself,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Christopher Downey of
Philadelphia, the Task Force Shooter commander. “Every
single day, we are reminded that we serve with the finest
soldiers in the Army, and we are privileged to call
ourselves Six Shooters”.
The Purple Heart is the oldest American military decoration
in the nation. It was initially created as the Badge of
Military |
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U.S. Army Spc. Matthew Riddle of Greenfield, Ind., is awarded the Purple Heart by U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John F. Campbell, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 101 and Regional Command East, Dec. 30, 2010 at Jalalabad Airfield. Riddle was injured by a fragmentation grenade during the insurgent attack on Forward Operating Base Fenty Nov. 13, 2010. |
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Merit available to the common soldier by Gen. George
Washington. The award fell into disuse following the
Revolution and was not proposed again officially until after
World War I. The Purple Heart was revived on the 200th
anniversary of Washington's birth, Feb. 22, 1932, out of
respect to his memory and achievements. The Purple Heart is
awarded to members of the armed forces of the United States
wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy
and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those
killed in action or of wounds received in action. |
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Dec. 30 marked the 53rd day in country for TF Shooter. Since
they arrived in Afghanistan, the task force has flown more
than 5,000 combat flight hours, moved 1,300 air assault
passengers to seize terrain and neutralize the enemy,
conducted more than 20 aerial enemy engagements in close
proximity to friendly forces, hauled more than 25 sling load
missions through terrain that vehicles are unable to
maneuver, and conducted 80 successful life-saving medical
evacuation missions.
In addition to the Purple Hearts, 38 Cavalry troopers
received the Combat Action Badge during a separate ceremony.
The Combat Action Badge was approved for creation by the
Secretary of the Army May 2, 2005. It was created to
recognize soldiers who have engaged or have been engaged by
the enemy while serving in a combat zone. Since the start of
ground combat operations in Operation Enduring Freedom
through September 2010, 20,670 soldiers have earned the
Combat Action Badge.
U.S. Army Col. Pedro G. Almeida of New Bedford, Mass.,
commander of TF Falcon, 10th CAB, assisted by the brigade
command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth E. Patton,
awarded the Combat Action Badge to recipients during an
evening ceremony on Jalalabad Airfield.
“I am proud,” said Downey. “Proud of where we have been and
the hard work and dedication it took to get us to this
point, proud of where we are as a solid and cohesive team,
and most importantly, where we are going; raising the bar
every day and every mission in support of Operation Enduring
Freedom.” |
Article and photo by Army Spc. Kam Gerohimos
Task Force Shooter
Copyright 2010 | |
Provided
through DVIDS
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